Referrals - Ask your author friends if they work with an assistant or if they
know of someone else that does. Personal recommendations are a great place to
start.

Check
the Loops – If you are on any author loops or discussion
groups, run a search for “author’s assistant.” Chances are someone else has
already asked for recommendations. If nothing comes up in your search, be the
first to ask.

Resources – Author’s Atlas
is a free review and ratings site for all the freelancers an author might need
and has a significant database of assistants. AuthorEMS also has an extensive listing of freelancers.

VETTING

Once you start collecting names and
referrals, visit each assistant’s website. Here are the items I recommend you
look for on their site:

Testimonials - This will give you an idea, not only of the assistant’s experience
in the field, but also of other authors you can contact to make sure they were
happy with the freelancer’s work.

Services- Most freelancers are going
to have a detailed list of their services on their website. Just make sure that
the majority of the items you are hoping to outsource are on the list. Most
assistants are flexible in what they do, so if something is missing from the
list, make a note to ask about that particular item in your inquiry email.

Copy – One thing I always check when vetting someone is their website
copy and blog. I’m looking for writing skill level and attention to detail
because both of those items are important to me.

RATES

Rates of assistants are going to vary
widely based on experience and skill set. On average, you can expect to pay $25
- $40/hour. There will be outliers, of course, and a new assistant might not
charge as much as someone who’s been working in the industry for years. Some
assistants also offer a bulk discount if you’re going to contract them for a
set number of hours per month. The assistant may or may not include their rates
on their website.

INQUIRY
EMAIL

At this point, you should have a handful of
names that you would like to contact. If you have one or two favorites, contact
them first. In your email, I recommend you include:

Introduction – Include the usual items: who you are, what you write, and where
you are in you career. Every assistant is going to have unofficial areas and
genres of expertise, so sharing that info with them upfront helps them to determine
if they are a good fit for you.

Referral – If someone recommended that freelancer to you, be sure to mention
it. First of all, it’s so nice to hear that a client likes your work! Secondly,
it’s also a reverse referral. If one of my authors recommends someone to me as
a potential client, it makes that person stand out in my inbox.

Tasks – Give the assistant a brief description of what you’re hoping to
outsource. Don’t worry about going into a ton of details; a simple list (social
media, managing my inbox, setting up speaking events, mailing review copies) is
sufficient. Make sure to specify if you’re looking to hire someone for ongoing
help or if you just need to hire for one project that will have a definitive
end. If you’re especially nervous about hiring someone, a small one-time
project is a great place to start.

Budget – Let them know how many hours/month you think these tasks will
take. If you have a solid budget that you can’t afford to go over, mention
that. (EX: I would like to start with a budget of $250/month.)

Timeline – Let them know if you’re looking to start working with someone
immediately or if you can be flexible on start date.

RESPONSE

Many
assistants are busy. They might not be able to take you on right away or at
all. However, if they aren’t able to
work with you at all, ask if they have any referrals. I am part of a several
freelancer groups and it’s common for someone to send out a “Who is taking on
new clients?” email. Even if I can’t work with an author, I do want to make
sure they find a happy home!

INTERVIEWS

If you get a favorable response from an
assistant, set up a time to chat via Skype or on the phone. Or, if you’re
uncomfortable with calls, continue exchanging emails.

Here are some questions you might want to
ask:

Turnaround
Time – How long does it typically take them to
start working on a project? Is it a few days or over a week?

Invoicing
and Payment – How often do they invoice and what
forms of payment do they accept?Ask to
see a sample invoice.

Communication – Let them know how you prefer to communicate (email, text, phone).
Ask about their response time to emails and whether or not you have to schedule
calls.

Responsibilities – Talk about what you hope to accomplish and ask for feedback.

Team – Some assistants have assistants of their own that do some of the
work. Ask if that’s the case and find out who will be your primary point of
contact.

PROTECTING
YOURSELF

Check back next month for my post about how
to protect yourself, in which I’ll cover how to safely start delegating tasks, ways
to protect your personal information, and tips for building a trusting
relationship with your new assistant.

Mel Jolly, founder
of Author Rx and Author’s Atlas http://authorrx.com/about/ has been “Keeping Authors Out of the
Loony Bin Since 2009.” Mel started out as a Library Assistant in Young
Adult Services where she specialized in outreach to at risk teens at
juvenile detention centers and inner-city schools. Melissa has always
had a true passion for connecting readers (and non-readers) to books and
now enjoys channeling that energy into teaching all authors the tips
and tricks she’s learned about how to thrive in the publishing industry
through workshops and the Author’s Atlas blog. To follow along with
Mel's tips to help you Get Organized in 2015, sign up for the Author's
Atlas newsletter at http://www.authorsatlas.com